It was another lovely day. Almost no air movement early on, then a light breeze from all points of the compass till mid morning when it settled to SE. Sunshine all day.
Middleton Nature Reserve (MD/AW)
Alan Wilson took this picture of Common Darter sunning itself on the path near the gate on the south side of the reserve.
 |
| Male Common Darter |
Mute 2 adult with 6 mature cygnets
Moorhen 4
Mallard 10
Gadwall 22
Tufted duck 2 male on the "no swimming" pond
 |
| Tufted Duck with some of the Gadwall - picture by Alan |
Cetti's warbler - 1 singing from central marsh
Heysham Skear - low water 08:00 (MD)
Great Crested Grebe 3
Red-breasted Merganser 4
Eider 4
Shag 1 - probably the 2nd calendar year but too distant to rule out juvenile
Little Egret 6
The waders were more interesting today, apart from the Oystercatcher, Curlew, Redshank and Turnstone there were:
Knot, two medium sized flocks and several smaller ones. I've not had time to count them, but estimated at least 1,500. This is one of the two medium sized flocks. Their murmurations looking particularly splendid in the red light of sunrise.
 |
| The low red tinged light also gave the waders a warm colour on the ground - these are Knot |
 |
| One of 23 Dunlin |
 |
| Bar-Tailed Godwit |
Skylark 7 south (2 over skear plus 2, 3 over Middleton and Imperial Rd respectively)
Pink- Footed goose seen from various locations:
104 north 07:45
17 east 08:10
42 SE 13:50
C60 south 17:00
Other insects:
Small Tortoiseshell 2 Janet saw one fly in at helipad plus one through my garden.
Dragonfly sp - Janet just glimpsed one passing the children's play area below Knowlys Rd.
